Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 787-864-5124;
www.brandemar.com
;
end of Rte 748; r $54-75; )
Follow-
ing a twisting road through a residential neighborhood just outside of town, you'll come to
the Brandemar, a serviceable family-run hotel that is Guanica's best by a nose. It's a small
compound of buildings including a hotel with inexpensive, no-frills rooms situated around
a pool, buttressed by a building with well-stocked bar and restaurant with fresh seafood.
There's a small beach just paces away, but the shore is no good for swimming.
El Molina
HOTEL $$
( 787-866-1515; Hwy 54 Km 2.1; r from $97; )
Set on 9 acres of a former
sugar plantation, this 20-room inn is dominated by a crumbly old sugar mill, and is a solid
bet for travelers looking for a place to rest their heads and little more. Its adjoining sports
bar/restaurant turns into a thumping nightclub on the weekends, which can be exciting or
unruly, depending on whether you want to party or sleep. The relatively big price tag re-
flects a sellers' market.
La Casa de Los Pastelillos
SEAFOOD $$
(Rte 7710 Km 4; mains $3-30; 10:30am-6pm Mon-Wed, 10:30am-10pm Thu,
10:30-11pmFri)
After seeing the sorry excuse for what passes for
pastelillos
(fried dump-
lings) elsewhere - dry as dirt and suffering under heat lamp - you might not recognize
the namesake of this seaside patio restaurant. The ambitious variations of the fried staple
(shark? octopus? pizza?) are made to order, arriving as greasy, seafood-stuffed slices of
heaven. More ample, healthful options are also lovingly made, based around fresh catches.
Add in the view of crashing waves and dreamy hammocks tied between palms, and this is
the best lunch spot on the south coast.
Also recommended:
El Suarito
CARIBBEAN $
(cnr Derkes & Hostos; mains $2-5; breakfast-10pm Mon-Sat)
Popular with local
wags, this cafeteria dishes eggs and toast, cheap pork chops and beer.
Rex Cream
ICE-CREAM PARLOR $
(24 Derkes; cones $1-3; 9:30am-10:30pm)
Exquisite ice cream made with seasonal
fruit.
